Switch box



cut-13,1925.

. H. G. BAXTER SWITCH BOX Filed. Oct. 9, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES:

AT ToRNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jam/d ATTORNEY.

Oct: 13, 1925- H s. BAXTER I VSWITCH BOX Filed Oct. 9, 19270 WITNESSES:

moved to open and to switch that opens and 6| .ated with a snap action.

. HAROLD G. IBAXTER,

Patented Oct. 13, 1925. UNITED STATES D I 1,557,006 PATENT OFF-ICE.

TRIC 8:: MANUFACTURING 0! BALDWIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNO-IR- TO WESTINGHOUSE ELEC- COMPANY, A CORPORATION .OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH IBOX.

Application filed. October, 9, 1920. Serial No. 415,801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAROLD citizen of Great Britain, Baldwin, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Boxes, the following is a specification.

My invention. relates to switches and particularly to enclosed switches of the safety type employed in controlling the electric currents supplied to apartments, residences, and like buildings.

My invention has for an object to pro- .vide a switch-operating attachment that may G. Bnx'rnma and a resident of be applied to knife switches of a well-es' tablished type whereby the switch may be closed position with a snap action.

A further object is to provide a switchoperating attachment for knife-blade switches that, with little difliculty, may be applied to switches and boxes already installed and in use.

A further object is to provide a switchoperating attachment having the above characteristics that is simple, durable, efficient and inexpensive to manufacture.

' end of the switch shaft, and which serves as a means by which the switch is manually opened and closed. The movement of a switch of this type is frequently so slow that destructive arcing results, which, in time, destroys the contact and blade elements of the switch. I

For some purposes, such, switches are found impracticable and, in certain instances, wiring regulations are such as to necessitate the replacing of the knife switchv with a v closes with a snap action or with a switch which is commonly known as a snap switch.

Where such changes are necessary it is sometimes more desirable and less ex ensive to apply an operating attachment or the knife sw tch of simple type than it is to replace such 'a switch with one that is actu- A further object,

of which I with the. stationary jaw members Entrance or meter switches have been which extends exteriorlgof the houstion 16. The box-and-switch therefore, is to provide a switch-operating" attachment that may be readily applied to standard boxes either in the factory or in the field with but a minimum of alterations to the standard box or mechanism.

These and other objects, which will be made apparent throughout the further description of my invention, are attained by the switch mechanism hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved attachment as applied to a standard two-pole knife switch, certain portions of the housing being cut away.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the housing taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1

Referring to the drawings, the device'is' shown as applied to a simple two-pole lmlfe jaw members 6 and 7 are rigidly secured to an insulatingbase 8 that is mounted Within a metallic box or housing 9. The housing 9 has a detachable cover 10 that is provide with a hinged door 11 closing an opening through which the usual fuse members 12 are accessible.

The switch-blade members are operated by means of a bent round iron rod or-shaft 13 of a well-known type, that is journaled at one end in a bearing socket 14 and which projects through the side wall 15 of the housing and terminates in a square end pormechanism above described is of a well-known standard. type and is usuallyequipped with a detachable handle (not shown) which fits on the projecting'end 16 of the shaft 13 The switch operating attachment includes in the position indicated in'Fig. 2, the switch-blade members 5 are in engagement with the contact or jaw members 7. When the crank is turned in a,- counter-clockwise therein through which the .in Fig. 2'

side wall turned over so as 'the crank within the housing 28.

direction, the switch-blade elements are moved to open position out of engagement with .the contact or jaw member 7 A toggle comprising a pair of links 18 and 19 is pivoted to a crank pin 20 carried by 17 and to a pivot 21 that is sesupport 22. This toggle is shown as in made position, wherein the crank 17 and the switch blade member 5 are retained in closed position. The knee joint cured to a 23 'of the toggle occupies a position above the dead center of the toggle when in made position and the toggle is prevented from collapsing upwardly by reason of the engagement of the extension 24 carried by the link 18 with the pin stop 25 carried by the link 19. A similar toggle comprising links 18'. and .19 is pivoted to the'crankshaft pin 20 and to a pivot 21 mounted on the support 22'. As shown in Fig. 2, the links of this toggle are in their collapsed position and occupy a position to the right of the axis of rotation of the crank 17 wire spring 26 is so attached to the links 19 and 19' that it'continuously exerts aforce thereon tending to move them into alignment and, therefore, serves to separately and yieldingly maintain the toggles in made position. The toggles may be moved alternately to fore the toggle comprising the links 18' and 19 can be moved to made position where- ,in the switch-blade members 5 are in open position, the toggle comprising links 18 and 19 must first be collapsed or broken. The link 18 is provided with a projection 24' similar to that On the link 18 and the link 19 is provided with a stop pin 25' for atresting relative movement of the links when they are moved to made 1position, or to a position similar to that w ich the links. 18 and 19 occupy as shown.

4 The crank-17 operating crank 27'that is journaled with an auxiliary housing 28 upon a, beam 29 of U-shape, housing. The housing may be secured to the in any desired'manner, and, as shown, is attached thereto by means 01int'egral lugs 30 which project throug .forations in the side wall and whlch are to prevent displacement I of the housing. This housing serves to enclose the snap mechanism. and is closed by a detachable cover 31. having an opening uter end of the hub 32 of'the crank 27 projects. A handle 33 is inserted in the hub 32 for the purpose of. imparting movement to the crank 27 The, switch-shaft crank 17 and-the opcrating crank 27 are 'yieldingly' connected through the medium of a helical spring 34 thatis so wound u n the hub 32 that the ends-34*. and 341 t ereof overlap 1? i switch-shaft made position, but be- 7 is actuated by means of an;

which is riveted within the ;tion to, .a

h per- 'mech and cannot be injured fuse, and-repairs maybe made to the actuat-- ing mechanism without exposing the fuspr other andengage opposite sides of a crank pin 35 that is mounted on the operating crank 27.

The crank pin 20, that is mounted on the crank 17, projects toward the operating crank 27 and between the ends 34 and 34 of the spring 34. It will be apparent from the foregoing that, when the handle 33 and operating crank 27 are turned in a counter-clockwise direction, the pin 35 engages the spring end 34 and turns it coun ter-clockwise, thereby increasing its tension upon the crank pin 20 carried by the switchshaft crank 17. Because the toggle links 18 and 19 are, in their made 17 cannot move and will-remain stationa until the projection 37 carried at the free end of the crank 27 engages the stop projection 38 carried by-the link 18 and moves the knee joint 23 of the oggle past dead center.

The toggle will then collapse and the crank 17 is then turned counter-clockwise by the spring end 34'. in the effort of the spring end to follow the movement of the operating position, the crank- 33 is turned in a clockwise direction until the projection 39 carried on the free end of the crank 27 engages the stop projection 40-mounted upon the link 18 and moves the knee joint 23 past the dead center of the toggle. Collapse of this toggle follows with v the result that the switchade member is closed with a snap action while the toggle links 18 and 19 are returned to their original made position.

ile the snap action attachment has been illustrated and described as especially practicable for application to switches and boxes of standard design now in service, it will be understood that the device is well adapted for manufacture of, and ap licagreat variety of boxes and switches designed to be entirely assembled at the factory and marketed as a unit, a particular advantage in this respect residing in the fact that more space is permitted within the main housing for fuse and switching apparatus because the switch-actuating anism. is housed exteriorly ofthe main box. Further advantages reside in the fact rated entirely from the fuse compartment elements. lVhile I have described and illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substituby the rupture of thelol tions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Switch mechanism comprising a pair of stationary contact members, a movable contact member for engagement therewith, separate pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the movable member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the movable member substantially in the extreme limits of itsmovements and yielding means for retaining the toggle links in made position.

2. A switch mechanism comprisinga pivoted contact member, and two pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the movable. member and with separate stationary members disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the movable member, and alternately movable to made positions for holding the movable member in, substantially the extreme limits of itsmovements.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a pair of stationary contact members, a movable contact member pivoted to one of the said contact members and movable into engagement with the other contact member, two

pairs of togglelinks pivotally connected to V the movable member and to separate stationary members disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the movable member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the movable member in substantially the extreme limits of its movements, and yielding means for separately retaining the toggles in made positions.

4. A switch mechanism comprising a pair of stationary contact members, a movable contact member pivoted to one of the said contact members and movable into engagement with the other contact member, and two pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the movable member and to separate stationary members disposed on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the movable memher, and alternately movable to made positions for holding the movable member in substantially the extreme limits of its movements, and means yieldingly connected to the movable member for breaking the made toggle links to permit movement of the movable member'after the said means has moved a predetermined distance.

5. Switch mechanism comprising a mov able contact member, separatepairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the movable contact member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the movable member substantially in the extreme limits of-its movements, and means yieldingly connected to the movable member for breaking the made toggle after the said means has moved a predetermined distance.

6. Switch mechanism comprising a movable switch member, separate pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the switch member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the. switch members substantially. in the extreme limits of its movement and yielding means for retaining the toggle links in made position.

7. Switch mechanism comprising a movable switch member, separate pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the switch 'member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the switchmember substantially in the extreme limits of its movements, and means yieldingly connected to the'switch member for breaking the tog-- gle to permit'movement of the switch member, after the said means has moved a predetermined distance.

8. Switch mechanism comprising a movable switch member, separate pairs of toggle links pivotally connected to the switch member and alternately movable to made positions for holding the switch member sub-- stantially in the extreme limits of its movements, and yielding means for separately holding the toggle links in made position.

9. Switch mechanism. comprising a housing, a movable switch member within the"- hou'sing, means for operating the switch projecting exteriorly of the housing, an operating crank mounted upon the operating means for rotation therewith, toggle links pivotally connected to the crank and extending on opposite sides thereof, stationary supports to which the outer links of the toggles are pivoted, so disposed that, when the toggles are in made position, the crank is maintained substantially in its extreme open or extreme closed position, yielding means for separately holding the toggles in made position, an operating shaft, a second crank secured to the said shaft, yielding means connecting the second crank with the operating crank, and means for breaking the made toggle when the second crank has moved a predetermined distance.

10. Switch mechanism comprising a switch member movable to open and to closed positions, an operating lever yieldingly connected to the switch member for moving it to open and to closed positions, 'and separate pairs of toggle links for releasably retaining the switch member in its respective positions adapted to be actuated vby the operating lever after it has moved a predetermined distance.

In testimony whereof, have hereunto I,

HAROLD G. BAx'rER. 

